Spathe and spadix collapsing - Monday, August 13th, 2007

Spadix is collapsing - Friday, August 10th, 2007

Titania opened - Tuesday, August 7th 2007

Titania closed - 2:30 PM, Tuesday, August 7th 2007

The titan arum, Amorphophallus titanum, (CORPSE FLOWER) is one of the largest and most spectacular (for both appearance and odor) blooms in the world, and an experience you will not want to miss. These blooms are not highly predictable (it has been 2 years since we saw one here), but we are estimating the full ‘grand’ opening and smell sometime in the week after July 30. It is certainly worth visiting to watch it develop, and it will continue to amaze for about a week after it opens. The strong stench of dead flesh for which it is named is strong for only about the first 12 hrs after it fully opens. The public is invited to catch a peek and a whiff of the blooming during regular hours at the Garden's Tropical House from 9 AM - 5 PM (hours will be extended to 6 PM as the full bloom approaches).

The plant has been raised from seed here in the Garden since 1995 and this is its first bloom. Following the national tradition of naming the plant beginning with the letter “T”, we have dubbed it “Titania” after the Queen of the Fairies in William Shakespeare’s Midsummer’s Night Dream.

Please note that parking is limited, especially on weekends. During the week, ample extra parking is available at the Lawrence Hall of Science at the top of Centennial with a campus shuttle service every half-hour.

‘Titania’ is one of about 20,000 accessions representing 307 plant families found in our collection. The approximately 12,800 different species and subspecies make it one of the largest and most diverse collections in the country. The Garden also has a large number of rare and endangered California native plants on display, many of which are part of its collection for the national Center for Plant Conservation.

Admission : $7 for adults, $5 for seniors and $2 for children ages 3 through 12. The Garden is open daily from 9 AM to 5 PM year round.